burial

noun

buri·​al ˈber-ē-əl How to pronounce burial (audio)
ˈbe-rē-
also ˈbər-ē-
Synonyms of burialnext
often attributive
1
: grave, tomb
2
: the act or process of burying

Synonyms of burial

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Examples of burial in a Sentence

They prepared the body for burial. She wanted to give him a proper burial. Did you attend the burial? The law prohibits the burial of toxic substances without special permits.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most of the victims were buried in a local graveyard, while some families planned to take the bodies to their native towns for burial. — ABC News, 1 July 2026 There are existing methods for cleaning skeletal remains, such as burial, digestive enzymes, or chemical treatments. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026 The viruses trigger the same type of disease and are spread via the same methods — contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, or the preparation of an infected corpse for traditional burials. — Helen Branswell, STAT, 30 June 2026 According to Jackson’s account, Fong said her father, the village headman, removed large pieces of wreckage from the crash site and organized the burial of McKinney’s body right there. — Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for burial

Word History

Etymology

Middle English beriel, berial, back-formation from beriels (taken as a plural), from Old English byrgels; akin to Old Saxon burgisli tomb, Old English byrgan to bury — more at bury

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of burial was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing burial

Rhymes for burial

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Browse Nearby Words

buri
burial
burial case
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Cite this Entry

“Burial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burial. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

burial

noun
buri·​al ˈber-ē-əl How to pronounce burial (audio)
: the act of burying

More from Merriam-Webster on burial

Nglish: Translation of burial for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about burial

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